Making new memories
by niadk
Summary: Written for the author2author holiday exchange, one-shot in response to a prompt by hopelessalways. Damon doesn't like Christmas but Elena will help him create new memories...


_Written for the author2author holiday exchange, one-shotin response to a prompt by **hopelessalways**. Many thanks to **BadBoysAreBest** for her idea. Damon doesn't like Christmas but Elena will help him create new memories..._

** Author's note**: Many, MANY thanks to **Janet**, who spent time reading this and correcting the grammar-word mistakes. Love you bb!

Elena took a deep breath and shut her eyes. It would be so nice, if she could just clear her mind for a while. She needed to stop thinking, stop worrying, if only for a minute. But she didn't actually have that luxury. No. Not her. She was the doppelganger. Her blood was the only source for Klaus to create hybrids. Stefan had just betrayed her and his brother and ran away to enjoy his freedom... he had also pissed off Klaus by stealing his family. Everyone around her was exhausted and so scared. Even Damon. And when Damon was scared, she was petrified. He had become her rock. He was the reason she believed, that somehow they would be able to survive this. Together, they would, because she wouldn't make it alone. No, she couldn't without him. The last time he wasn't around she nearly got killed. She had come so close. Too close. She took another deep breath, lay down and looked up at the ceiling. Her mind ceased to stop spinning.

Christmas was just around the corner, but no one seemed eager to celebrate. Especially not Damon. She felt her heart skip a beat remembering the conversation they had had a couple of days ago. They were at the boarding house talking about what Klaus' next move could be, when Elena mentioned that Christmas were almost there.

"Don't remind me" Damon snorted before bringing the glass full of bourbon to his lips and draining his glass in one gulp.

"Why, what's wrong with Christmas? It's my favorite holiday. Or at least it used to be" Elena said with a frown.

She watched Damon as his jaw tightened. "My mother passed away on Christmas. It was the beginning of my crappy life, so I haven't celebrated it for over a hundred and fifty years... No presents from Santa for me this year" Damon said with a smirk, so casual like he was talking about the weather. Elena stared at him, in shock, as he turned his back on her and walked to the bar for a refill. That was the first time he had ever mentioned his mother. But the way he did it... It was so obvious that he tried to sound as indifferent about it as possible, but the fact that he had chosen to share that with her meant a lot and Elena knew it. The fact that after more than 150 years, he still didn't want to celebrate Christmas meant even more.

It was obvious that Damon linked his unhappiness with his mother's death. That was the turning point for him, the moment that his torture had begun. She understood.

"I get it" she murmured under her breath.

So, Elena stayed still in her bed, staring at the ceiling and thought that it was about time for Damon's Christmas to be happy for once. It would be better. She would help him create better memories. Though, truth be told, she had her own selfish reasons for wanting to try. She, too, needed to make new memories. Because she too; needed to feel normal for a while. And to feel joyful. And she knew without any doubt, that if there was a person in this world who could make her feel joy after all this shitty mess, that person was Damon. Her mind was made up - she knew what she had to do.

Thirty minutes later she parked her car in front of the boarding house. She used her key to get inside and although she knew that Damon would probably not be in the house at the time, she called out his name, just in case. She moved upstairs, headed to his bedroom, opened the door and looked around. It was empty. She hung the dress she had brought with her in his closet and went downstairs again and into the kitchen. She had at least three hours until Damon returned from the council meeting with Ric and Sheriff Forbes. That was more than enough time for her to prepare a nice Christmas dinner for him, light a fire, and get ready for dinner. It wasn't much and she knew that; but she also knew that Damon would appreciate a nice meal and some wine. _What harm could a Christmas dinner do?_ She thought with a shrug.

Two hours later the dinner was ready. She had made pasta and salad. Cooking was not her strong trait, but she was sure that Damon wouldn't care that she had just prepared a simple meal for him. It was the thought that mattered after all, and not about the food. She set the table and then went up to his room to get dressed. She wore a one shoulder, beaded waistband, dark blue, short cocktail dress and silver high heels. It was a little formal, but she felt it was appropriate for the occasion. She applied her makeup and right when she was ready to head down again the door opened and Damon stepped on his room. He froze when he saw her there. They stared at each other for a moment and a confused look on Damon's face appeared.

"What are you doing here?" he asked breaking the silence.

Elena smiled and took a step closer to him. "I made dinner for you. I thought that maybe we could celebrate Christmas together. Come on, change your clothes and I'll wait downstairs" she said and starts walking to the door.

"I want you to leave" she heard Damon say. She narrowed her eyes in confusion and turned to look at him. He had his back to her though, she couldn't see his face.

"Oh, come on Damon. I know that Christmas is not exactly your favorite holiday, but it's been so long and…"

"I want you to go" Damon shouted turning towards her. He was angry and Elena felt confused. He couldn't possibly be that upset. She was just there because she wanted to celebrate Christmas with him. He couldn't possibly be mad at her for that. No, something else must have happened

"What is going on?" she asked slowly, taking a step towards him.

"I really don't want to talk about it Elena. Please, not now." he said tiredly as he walked by her moving to his closet.

"Damon; please don't shut me out." Elena pleaded, until he looked at her.

"I saw Stefan." Damon replied slowly.

"What? What did he say? Did he say anything about what happened at the Homecoming dance?" Elena asked as she took a step towards him

"Actually yeah; he did." Damon said; his face full of sadness "It seems that, once again, I was the one that screwed everything up."

Elena raised her eyebrows in surprise and let him continue.

"Apparently Klaus told Katherine who then told Stefan that his hybrids had orders to kill me if something happened to him. So Stefan stopped him to save my fucking life; once again." He took a deep breath and added "Now can you please go, Elena?"

It hurt him. It actually physical hurt him to look at her. She was so beautiful in that blue dress. She had prepared a nice Christmas dinner to please him. She wanted to make things better for him and he realized that she was, in fact, the only person who could. Even by just looking at her, he wanted to sing Christmas carols and hang silly little lights all over the boarding house. He didn't deserve it, though, and that made him feel like shit. If Stefan just let him die, then the person he loved more than anything in the entire world would be safe and happy. Why couldn't he have just let him die?

"Klaus would be dead and you would be safe. You would have the man you love back at your side. Everything would be fine. All Stefan had to do was just let me die" He didn't even realize he said his last thoughts aloud until he saw Elena's expression go from surprise to anger. She took a few more steps until she was right in front of him and then she slapped him.

"What the hell?" Damon asked, taken aback by her reaction, "What was that for?"

"You are such an idiot Damon, you know that?" Elena yelled at him "How can you say something like that? Don't you understand?"

"What's to understand Elena?" Damon spit out bringing his face close to hers "Yeah, Stefan would mourn for a while because he loves me, or whatever. Yeah, I know he does. You would cry over my grave, because you care, but both of you would move on and live happily ever after."

Elena tried to slap him again, but this time Damon caught her hand before it had the chance to hit his cheek again.

"You have to stop doing that." he said angrily, but his face softened immediately as he saw tears falling from Elena's eyes.

"How can you say that?" she asked, the hurt cracking her voice, "How can you stand here in front of me and doubt me like that?"

"I don't doubt-"

"No," Elena interrupted him, "let me finish. This isn't fair, Damon. I lost so many people. People that I loved, that I was depending on, but losing you? Do you understand what that could do to me? Do you have any idea? How could I face the next day knowing I will never see you again? Who would make me smile? Who would help me become stronger?"

"Elena…" Damon said, but she didn't let him finish again.

"I love you Damon… I love you. So how could I be happy with the man that I love if you wouldn't be around? Tell me" Elena was sobbing and Damon felt himself melt. He wanted to ask if she meant it. He wanted to do something but he stood there, paralyzed, trying to convince himself that this wasn't just a dream. That she had actually told him that she loved him. Suddenly the realization hit him and he crushed his lips to hers. Everything that needed to be said was expressed with that one kiss. All the love, the need, the passion and the frustration poured out of his lips and onto hers. He groaned into the kiss as he felt himself hardened. Elena started to unbutton his dark blue shirt. Popping one button at a time, she took her time undressing him, her eyes trained on his stoic face. When Damon finally realized what was going on, she had his shirt on the ground and her hands working on his black leather belt. He immediately grabbed her wrists, stopping her from any further exploration. He lifted her up, put her on his bed and then stood back, taking a moment to admire her beauty

"You are so beautiful" he told her, adoration pouring from his voice. Elena_ kissed him again_ her hands moving skillfully and gracefully up and down his chest.

Damon expertly discarded her clothes, tossing them away piece by piece, not caring where they landed. Once he had her naked he inhaled deeply, taking in her sweet scent. Straightening up he quickly got rid of his pants and boxers. Pushing her legs wide apart he knelt between them, bending down to kiss her again. He started with her lips, moved to her jaw, then her face and neck, his hands slipping to her naked breasts. Elena closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip as his hand moved closer to his target.

"I need you so much." He said kissing her again.

"I need you too." She said "Please…" She whispered, her hands moving up his arms to his shoulders, she turned her face on the side exposing her neck to him.

"Please Damon." He froze for a moment. The need to take what she was offering was too much. Everything was too much. He started trembling.

"Are you sure?" he whispered.

"Yes" she said with determination bringing his face closer to her pulsing point.

As he sank his teeth into her soft skin he moved his hand over her body and down to her warm wetness. As he drank from her soft flesh, he moved his fingers inside her. Elena felt the world crashing around her. She wanted to feel him inside her. He moved away from her, his eyes never leaving hers.

She sat up and looked at him in amazement. His skin was pure white and flawless. She stretched out her hand to touch his chest and he moved towards her as she ran her fingers down him he shivered in anticipation and he knelt down in front of her. He grabbed hold of her arms and held then above her head. Moving his lips from hers and down towards her neck, he sank his teeth in her neck again while with one thrust he was buried inside her. Slowly he moved his mouth from her neck and let go of her arms. He started to move faster and drove himself harder and deeper inside her, knowing that with each movement she would be his. As their hips locked in motion she held on to him tightly, digging her nails into his back. He kissed her hard; he had been waiting for this for so long. As their rhythm increased she was lost in his power, their bodies moving as one, she could feel a wave of ecstasy rushing through her body. He started to pump faster and harder as they both shuddered to an earth shattering climax. As they slowed, he looked at her, taking in her beauty.

"Merry Christmas, Elena" he whispered on her lips.

"Merry Christmas, Damon."


End file.
